How do I give doorbell or camera footage to the police?

Footage is most useful in the first few days and most systems delete it in that window. The practical skill is knowing how to get a clean copy off your own system quickly, and what to write down alongside it so it means something to someone who was not there.

Step by step

1. Save the clip before doing anything else.Cloud retention on domestic plans is commonly seven to thirty days, and on some free tiers it is hours. Download to a phone or computer immediately, and check whether the app has an option to protect or lock a clip from deletion.
2. Export the original file, not a screen recording.A recording of a screen loses resolution and strips the embedded timing information. Use the app's download or export function so you have the source file.
3. Check the clock.Note whether the camera's time is correct, and by how much it is out if not. A timestamp that is twenty minutes wrong undermines an otherwise good clip, and knowing the offset fixes it.
4. Write down the context.Camera make and model, exactly where it is mounted, what direction it faces, and the date and time in plain words. Keep it as a short note saved with the file.
5. Report the incident and get a crime reference number.Call 101 or use your force's online reporting for a non-emergency, or 999 if a crime is in progress. Anything in progress or where anyone is at risk is always 999.
6. Use the force's own upload portal.Most UK forces issue a secure digital evidence upload link against the reference number. That is the route to use rather than emailing a large file or handing over a memory card.
7. Keep your own copy.Store the original file somewhere it will not be deleted, along with the note. You may need it for an insurance claim as well, and the two processes run on different timescales.
8. Do not post it on social media.Publishing footage of an identifiable person can prejudice an investigation, expose you to a defamation or data protection claim, and cause serious harm if the identification is wrong. Give it to the police and to nobody else.
9. Ask neighbours early if the coverage is incomplete.Their retention is expiring on the same clock. A quick note asking them to save anything from a specific time window is far more effective than asking a fortnight later.

Tips

• Set a reminder to check that your camera's clock is right after any power cut or firmware update.
• If your plan does not record at all, find out now rather than at the moment you need it.
• For a burglary, photograph the damage and the scene before tidying anything, and wait for advice if forensics may attend.

Common mistakes

• Waiting to see whether it matters — Cloud retention deletes on a schedule regardless of what is happening. A clip not saved in the first days usually cannot be recovered at all.
• Posting the footage to a community group — It can prejudice an investigation, misidentify an innocent person, and expose you to legal claims. It also tips off anyone involved.

If it doesn't work

Questions people ask